Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-01-21
A HERO WIFE.

about happened. But for that same
accident l don't think Kate an l
would be man and wife this day, for
you SOC my father was set agin' the
match, Katie being only laborer's
daughter, while he himself was foreman
in the mill, getting good wages and
thought a deal of by his employers. An
if it wasn't for Katie don't think I'd
be here now to tell you about it, for
twas she that saved my life through
hitting upon Il plan that never once
came into the heads of me or my com
rades-ay, or those that you'd have
thought would know better than any
of us.
Twas brought up to my fathers
trade, having been taken when Young
by brother of nay mothers, Il master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died came te Lisgarvin for
Il bit, just to see my father, and finding
that they We're at work on the new
buildings ut the mills l looked fox en-
ployment there, an got it at once
LiSgarvin Mill is tlour-mill, and a
pretty place it was IN those days, with
the river running just by the old red
brick buildings, an the big water
wheel always going round an' round.
The river fails into Il larger one y
little down, and the tide comes ND as
far as the mill, so It's in boats that
most of the corn is brought in and the
flour carried sway. 'Ti>z't half so
pretty place ROW; there are big white
washed buildings along side of the old
ones, the big e7heel IS stopped, an YOU
hear the whi1] ofthe engine instead of
the sound of avater. But they make Il
power of meney there an give a deal
Of employment
As was saying, got:taken on as Il
brcklaver. A1atie'> flasher was work.
ing there. toe. an used to see her
bringing han his dinner, and, after Il
bit, | began to think III like to have
her bring sac mine, too. She was as
pretty q gn:l then as YOU d see anywhere
she's gooel-lookingt 70 this tav-and
soon became that TOM! of her that Id
have done anything most to get her
She herself was willing enough; twas
my father that made the difficulty. He
was prc*ud man. n proud in his way
As any gentleman, an he was down.
right mad At the notion of my wanting
to marry ]aborel' = daughter. 10 be
sure, l WAS earning good wages, an
might haNe married without asking any
one $ Leave if / d been SO minded, but
didn't 2ike to 60 agin' the old man that
had always been good to me. Besides,
Katie was just as proud As himself, and
would have nothing to say to me I'M
less he WAS satisfied. l got the master
to speak to him, but sure twaSnt a
bit of Use
How would.Eau like, sir" he SAWS
to the master. 80 had a daughter. to
have Master Philip take up with her.
and wou}dn' t that be the same 1hing?"
| believe that the master didn't think
it would be 81 IL the same thing, but
my father wouldn't hear reason from
him any more tL*n from me; SO Katie
aud mad just nothing for it but to
wait, ia the hepe Of bis coming round,
and very little hope we had of that
same.
As We were putting up a steam ell
CINE in the mill we had, of course, to
have big chimney, an we got a man
from teHn to build it-onc of them
chaps that builds. ohimneys an nothin'
else, an thinks nobody knows any
thing about 1t but themselves. was
working along with him, and, indeed
twas | that built:the most of it, and a
right good job it MAS. Twas finished
by Christmas-ten years ago this
Christmas coming on-all but the
lightning eonductor,;'and that was not
put up owing to:the masters wanting
to make inquiries when he'd 90 to Lon
don, an see fG himself what would be
the best kind to Use.
uc l1dSk6I Was. Il SCl6lllHC sort OF 4
gentleman, an7 has ideas of his own
sometimes they d ibe better than other
peoplc's, sometime 5 maybe not SO good.
ct any rate theme was a delay about
the conductor, All in the5jmeantime the
engineers We're at :werk, an the big
Chimney was smoking AWAY like blazes
Ab- Brown, the strange workman, hal
guae away, saying Wary coHdescendihg
like he was sure Ji.G Forde (that wa,
me would be able to fastenahe rod to,
the 'shimney as well az he could do il!
hinAelf. He took all of his-%'af1oldine
with him, but before The went away he
d2aed:a beam with pulley tor to the
top Of che chimney an Left ;lang rope
hanging through it. sothat a man could
be hois<ed up at any time; an there the
rope hung dangling, week after week,
Until the master came, hn;p gipgtkc rod
along with him.
Once it bad come there was no good
losing any more time in fixing i, so
one Saturday afternoon in January. up
went on & plank, slung securely at
the end CT the rope, my tools alOngMth